Maxillary mandibular relater



Oct. 20, 1942. J, Q TAYLOR, 1R 2,299,285

MAXILLARY MANDIBULAR RELATER Filed Oct. '7, 1941 r 45 49 :556 F'pg 5 "lmm/ Patented Oct. 20, 1942l UNITED STATES par in" ortica 3 Claims.

This invention relates generally to the art of dentistry, andparticularly to a method and apparatus for use in the dentists officeand in the dental laboratory in the making of artificial dentures.

In its more specific aspects this invention relates to a method andapparatus employed in the making of artificial dentures, resulting inaccurate occlusion in the finished denture when in use by the patient.

It is therefore a prime object of this invention to provide a methodandvapparatus for use in the manufacture of artificial denturesresulting in exceedingly accurate occlusion of the finished denture.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a method andapparatus for manufacturing artificial dentures in which the relativerelationship of the mandibular and maxillary ridges when in relaxednormal position is accurately determined and recorded.

Another object of myinvention is to provide a method and apparatus formanufacturing artificial dentures in which the correct relationship ofthe mandibular to the maxillary ridge is determined and retained withoutrequiring the usual bite impression.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a method and apparatusfor manufacturing artificial dentures in which snap impressions areutilized instead of the usual bite impressions. K

A further characteristic of my invention is to provide a method andapparatus for manufacturing artificial dentures in which the case is`mounted on an articulator directly from the impressions.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a method andapparatus for use in the manufacture of artificial dentures wherebytrays made from snap impressions of the mandibular and maxillary ridgesmay be disposed in the patients mouth and the relative relation of suchtrays recorded by apparatus disposed externally of the patients mouth.

A further object of this invention is to provide an apparatus for use inthe manufacture of articial dentures, whereby trays may be mountset onthe usual articulator in exact duplication of the angular disposition ofthe mandibular and maxillary ridges with respect to one another when thepatient is at rest.

With the foregoing general objects, features, and results in view, aswell as certain others which will be apparent from the followingexplanation,- the invention consists in certain novel features anddesign, construction, mounting and combination of elements, as Will bemore fully and particularly referred to and specified hereinafter.

Referring to the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a view in elevation of the apparatus in position with thetrays disposed in the patients mouth.

Fig. 2 is a rear view in elevation of one of the trays.

Fig. 3 is a view in elevation of the apparatus with the trays detachedtherefrom.

ed on the apparatus and positioned thereon to n assume the samerelationship as the mandibular and maxillary ridges assume when thepatient is in relaxed position.

of artificial dentures whereby the case may be 5.5

Fig. 4 is a View taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a View in elevation of the relater and connecting rods indetached position.

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section showing the vertical adjusting means forthe trays.

In the manufacture of artificial dentures it is necessary to determinewith as much accuracy as possible the relationship of the mandibular tothe maxillary ridge in order to obtain correct occlusion in the finisheddenture. If this relationship or relative angular disposition of themandibular and maxillary ridges is not accurately determinedmalocclusion of the finished denture results with the consequentialdiscomfiture to the user thereof. Under techniques now in common use inthe preparation of artificial dentures it is exceedingly difficult todetermine with any degree of accuracy the proper or true relationship ofthe mandibular and maxillary ridges, and therefore there is greatdissatisfaction among users of artificial dentures because ofmalocclusion of the denture sets.l

To determine this mandibular-maxillary relationship it is now commonpractice to have the patient bite into vsome soft substance such as Wax,or against bite rims, to obtain impressions of the gums o f the patient.The use of such bite impressions causes many misfit dentures because thetrue, normal relationship of the mandibular and maxillary ridges is notobtained. When the patient is required to bite into such soft substancethe muscles of the jaws tend to force the mandibular out of its normalposition, either unilateral or bilateral protrusion thereof resulting. Afurther disadvantage in the use of bite impressions resides in the factthat in the act of biting against the recording substance the tissues ofthe ridges are compressed, and furthermore the bite impressions areusually warped either from heat of the mouth or from improper handling.Now the fact that in the act of biting the patient is not relaxed andthe mandibular-maxillary relationship is not normal, and the furtherfact that in biting the ridge tissues are compressed, plus the warpingof the bite impressions, result in unbalanced occlusion in the finisheddenture.

I have devised a method and apparatus for use in the preparation ofartificial `-dentures which solves the problems which are-inherent inthe methods now known and in Jgeneraluse. It is a Well established factthat the` riarilibular and maxillary ridges are iwcorecto'rnornialposition when the muscles are at rest, .and that the act of bitingcauses a muscle reaction resultin'g in an upsetting of the true .andnormal angular disposition of the ridges relative to one another. By mymethod and apparatus I have completely eliminated Athe necessity oftaking a fbite impression, which, .as I ,have stated is the .underlyingcause of malocclusion in dentures. Instead I take a snap or preliminaryimpression of the mandibular and maxillary ridges, such .snap impressionneed not be entirely accurate, and is used for building trays or thelike for obtaining a more accurate and final impression.

From snap impressions, made while the mandibular and maxillary ridgesare at rest, plaster models are made, and from such plaster models basetrays of rubber or the like material are made. It is to be understoodthat these base trays are models or casts of the snap impressions, andtherefore are individually formed, one set for each patient. When thebase trays have been made and washed out with any suitable impressionmaterial the dentist or technician then makes use of vmy relaterapparatus in correctly positioning the .trays relative to each otherprior to and when mounting them on an articulator, all as will be fullyexplained and made clear hereinafter. It is to be distinctly understoodthat the method and apparatus of this invention are utilized prior tothe `use vof the usual articulator, that is, after the case is properlymounted on the articulator by means of my invention, the steps whichfollow are usual and now known and in use in the art.

By my method and apparatus it is now possib le and practical to insert,the casts o r trays in the patients mouth where they will assume thenormal relationship of the mandibular and maxillary ridges, and when insuch positions to attach them t my apparatus which when set .andadjusted will capture and record such'relative relationship of thetrays, Aso that the trays may be detached from the apparatus for removalfrom the mouth and later attached again to the apparatus'and therebycaused to assume again the exact relative relation which was lpresentwhen they were disposed in the patients mouth and attached to theappafartus.

, The apparatus which I have devised, and which I shall hereinafter termthe relater is provided for attachment to the upper and lower trays forcapturing and recording the relative relationship thereof'. Referring tothe drawings, such relater comprises a post l, which I shall here.-inaftcr designate as the vertical post and which is preferably Square inCrQSS sectionwhich collar slidably receives the vertical posttherethrough, a set screw 9 being threadedly received through eachcollar to engage, and when screwed into the collar to exert pressureagainst the vertical post to effectively wedge it within the collarthereby locking the unit against movement along the post.

As the structure and mode of operation of each universal joint orsupporting unit is the same I shall only describe one of such units indetail.

Referring particularly to Fig. 4 of the drawings it will be apparentthat the unit includes a tubular like shell or socket ll, closed at one.end by a plug I3 having a centrally disposed threaded openingtherethrough for receiving therein a screw l5, on the inner end of whichis mounted acup shaped plunger Il and on its outer end disposedexternally of the socket is a knurledoperating head l 9. The oppositeend of the tubular socket is provided with an aperture 2| concentricallyarranged with respect to the socket and of smaller diameter than that ofthe body of the socket. fr substantially spherical member or ball 23 isdisposed in the socket between the plunger and the apertured end thereofand a stem 25 is formed on the ball to project rigidly therefrom throughthe aperture 2| in the socket. A connecting rod 21 forming an extensionof the stem 25 and of relatively greater diameter than the stern is madepreferably though not necessarily integral therewith. The outer endportion 2S of the connecting rod is cut away longitudinally of the rodto provide a semi-,cylindrical female portion having a flat side whichis provided with a plurality of transverse grooves 3| and anintersecting longitudinal groove 33.

An internally threaded hole 35 is provided centrally of the femaleportion 2S. As there are two supporting units and as the structure ofeach is the same it will be clear that there are two connecting rodsprojecting from the units radially of the vertical post.

As I have hereinbefore pointed out I atil-ize trays of rubber or thelike material which 4are made from plaster models formed frein the snapimpressions of the ridges, and the mandibular or lower tray I shalldesignate by the numeral 3'! and the maxillary or upper tray by thenumeral 39. Each of such trays is for-med with an eye or loop 4| on themesial-labial thereof,

preferably formed integrally therewith. A relater rod 43 is mounted onthe upper tray to project forwardly therefrom. This relater rod extendsthrough the eye'l on the upper tray fand is removably secured thereto bya nut 45 adapted to be screwed on the inner threaded end of the relaterrod. The opposite or outer end of the relater rod is longitudinally cutaway to provide a semi-cylindrical male portion Q1 having a flat sidewhich is provided with a plurality of transverse ribs 4), anintersecting longitudinal rib; 5I and an internally threaded centrallydisposed hole 53 therein. lIfhe lower tray 31 is provided with a relaterrod which is removably fastened to the tray in the same manner as thestraight relater rod 43 is removably fastened to the upper tray, howeverthe relater rod of the lower tray is bent to provide two spacedhorizontal legs 55 and 51 and a perpendicular leg 59 connecting thehorizontal legs. The outer horizontal leg 51 is cut away to provide asemi-cylindrical male portion having the same ribbed structure as themale portion 41 of relater rod 43.

In the use of the apparatus, the trays with their relater rodsprojecting therefrom are adapted to be assembled with the relater deviceproper by attachment to the connecting rods which project from the units3 and 5 radially from the post I, as disclosed particularly in Fig. 5 ofthe drawing. Such attachment is accomplished by positioning the femaleends of the connecting rods adjacent the male ends of the relater rodsfor meshing of the grooves with the ribs of such ends respectively whenthe male and female ends are brought into engagement. The relater andconnecting rods may then be rigidly locked together in axial alinementby disposing the screws 6| into the threaded holes 35 and 53 which areprovided for this purpose in the male and female ends of the rods. Withthe relater and connecting rods attached and locked together in thismanner it is clear that there can be no relative lateral or rotarymovement therebetween. It is also to be understood that the bent orangular rod which projects from the lower tray is in meshing engagementwith and detachably locked to the lower connecting rod in the manneroutlined above.

When the trays have been formed from the plaster casts made from thesnap impressions the relater rods are passed through the eyes on thetrays and rigidly fastened thereto. As hereinbefore noted these traysare individually formed for the particular patient being fitted. Thetrays with the relater rods attached thereto are then placed in themouth one at a time, the lower tray being positioned against the lowerridges and retained there by gravity and by suction for movement withthe lower jaw, and the upper tray being tted against the roof of themouth and the upper ridges and retained there by suction developedbetween the roof of the mouth and the tray for movement with the upperjaw. In rare cases where it is not possible to obtain such suction asmall amount of detal powder applied to the tray will hold it firmly inproper position. With the two trays disposed in the mouth as describedthe technicians hands are free to operate and set the device. It will beseen that the trays disposed and positioned in the mouth as describedwill assume with respect to one another the same relationship as thatexisting between the mandibular and the maxillary ridges. When the jawsof the patient are relaxed and in substantially normal, at restposition, the apparatus described is brought into use by the technicianfor recording or capturing this normal relationship between the jaws andridges for future use in my method of making dentures.

With the trays disposed within the mouth as described, and the jaws ofthe patient being relaxed, the male and female ends of the relater andconnecting rods are brought into meshing position and the rods arelocked together.

'Ihus a rigid lock is provided between the separable elements which isan important and essential feature of my invention. The operator havinglocked the relater rod of the upper tray to the upper connecting rod andthe relater rod of the lower tray to the lower connecting rod thenadjusts the units vertically on the vertical post to conform to thevertical position of the tr-ays within the mouth, and when such verticalspacing is found and determined the universal joint or supporting unitsare looked against relative movement with respect to the vertical postby means of the set screws 9. At this point I desire to point out thatthe relater rod of the lower tray is angularly formed as shown in orderto space the supporting units a substantial distance apart along thepost to provide for facile adjustment and manipulation thereof.

With the parts relatively positioned and locked as described it isessential to provide means for capturing and recording the relativelateral and longitudinal tilting of the trays caused by such angulardisposition or relative relationship of the mandibular and maxillaryridges. Such lateral and longitudinal tilting of the trays istransmitted to the rigidly connected relater and connecting rods, whichdue to the universal joint connection with the units 3 and 5 may have arotary or swivel action. Thus lateral tilting of the trays induces arotary movement in the relater and connecting rods with a correspondingmovement of the spherical member, while a longitudinal tilting of thetrays induces swiveling or oscillatory action on the relater andconnecting rods with a corresponding movement of the spherical member.When the relater and connecting rods and the spherical member havereacted as described, the plungers l1 are moved inwardly of the socketinto locking engagement with the spherical members thereby locking therelater and connecting rods into the positions induced by the angulardisposition of the trays, and the relation of the mandibular andmaxillary ridges is thereby contained in the position in which thespherical members are locked.

The relater has now been adjusted and locked in position to capture andrecord the exact relative positions of the trays within the mouth of thepatient. As the trays can only be removed from the mouth one at a timeit is necessary to detach them from the connecting rods which is done byremovingthe screws 6l. Such removal of the trays from the apparatus bydetachment of the relater rods from the connecting rods does not resultin losing the mandibular maxillary relationship for such relationship iscontained in the setting and positioning of the various elements of theapparatus.

When the operator has removed the trays from the patients mouth plastercasts are poured into the trays and then the trays with the caststherein are remounted on the relater apparatus. As the relative positionof the trays is contained in the setting of the relater the trays whenremounted thereon will automatically assume such position, which willrepresent the true normal relationship of the mandibular and maxillaryridges when the patient is at rest. The case is now ready to be mountedon the usual articulator which is done while the case (that is the trayswith the casts therein) is mounted on the relater apparatus. Thus theproper positioning of the case is transferred from the case on therelater to the case on the articulator After being mounted and securedon the articulator the usual method of setting up the teeth is followed.

From my description of this method and apparatus it will be clear thatthe vertical spacing of the mandibular and maxillary ridges is recordedin the vertical spacing of the units 3 and 5 on the vertical post I, andthat the lateral and longitudinal tilting of the ridges is recorded inthe position at which the spherical members 23 and the connecting rods21 are locked, the lateral tilting transmitting a rotary movementl totheconnector rods, and the longitudinal tilting transmitting a swivelmovement to such rods. Hence, the trays may be removed from the mouthand the apparatus after the latter has been set to record the traypositions when in the mouth, and thenV the trays may be again vattachedthereto and the trays will assume their former positions. By theconstruction of the mating portions of the relater and connecting rodsit will be clear that no relative rotary or radial movement is possibleVand therefore the point and position of attachment will be exactly thesame as the poi-nt and position of detachment.

I claim:

1-. An apparatus of the class described, comprising a post, a pair ofsupporting units having collars thereon slidably receiving the post, andmeans forv clamping said collars to the post, said supporting unitsforming sockets, a spherical member mounted in each socket for swivelmovement therein, a connecting rod rigidly attached to and projectingfrom each spherical member in the same general direction, means forlocking the spherical members in adjusted position Within the supportingunits, and a pair of trays having eyes integrally formed thereon,relater rods mounted in and removably secured in said eyes to projectfrom the trays onel of said rods having an offset por- \tion, theconnecting and relator rods having complementary meshing end portionsfor lock- ,ing engagement tov attach the trays and relater lrods to theconnecting rods and units.

2. Anapparatus of the class described, comprising a post and a pair ofsupporting units adjustably mounted thereon, means for locking saidsupporting units in adjusted position on the post, connecting rodscarried by and projecting from said units in the same general directionfor universal movement relative thereto to assume different angularpositions relative to said post, and means for locking each connectingrod in an adjusted position, a pair` of trays formed from impressions ofthe man-dibular and maxillary ridges having relater rods rigidlyattached to land projecting therefrom for detachable connection withsaid connecting rods, each tray carried means when in attachment with aconnecting rod being always disposed in the same angular positionrelative to the post vas that oi the connecting rod to which it isattached, whereby the trays may be detached and again attached to theapparatus in the sar-ne relative position.

3. An apparatus of the class described, comprising 'a post and a pair ofsupprting units adjustably mounted thereon, connecting rods carried byand projecting from said units in the same general direction foruniversal movement relative thereto, a pair of trays formed fromimpressions of the mandibular and maxillaryr ridges having relater rodsrigidly attached thereto and projecting therefrom for removableattachment to the ends of said connecting rods, mating engaging endportions on said relater and connecting rods having meshing surfaces.thereon, and locking means to lock said relater and connecting rod endportions together solely in axial alinement against relative movement,the relative positions of the connecting rods and supporting units whensaid connecting rods are attached to the relater rods being induced byand dependent upon the position of the trays, and separate means forlocking said connecting rods and supporting units in such inducedpositions against change when the trays and relater rods are detachedfrom and again attached to said connecting rods.

f JAMES C. TAYLOR, JR.

